Letter to My High School Self: Myles Hager

Dear 16 year-old Myles,

You are not dreaming, your coaches are not lying to you, and you are not imagining things. You have a truly realistic chance to play college baseball. There are a few schools emailing and calling you, trying to see what kind of kid you are. These calls are not only for them but they are for you. These calls are for you to recognize how these coaches operate. These calls and emails help you understand if they are welcoming or off-putting, if they are pushy or patient, and for you to have a grasp of what the team’s philosophies are.

From now on you may feel like the game has more pressure on you, that you have to play tight and have a deep down feeling that now you cannot fail at all cost. None of that is true. The truth is that the game is the same. It’s been the same since you were 12. You still have to catch it and throw it, see it and hit it. Just because there are schools watching you play now does not mean that there is more pressure on you to perform. So make sure that you still have just as much fun playing in you junior and senior seasons as you did when you were 12-years-old in the cage with your dad.

The most important part of this whole process is finding the right fit. It’s not about the name of the school because of its popularity and it’s not about the best facilities. It is about the people there—the coaches and the players. You will be dealing with them every day for the next 4 years of your life, so you need to make sure that you like the energy that they share. When you talk to more coaches from more schools you will have a better understanding if these coaches can groom you into a man. College baseball is not just about the play on the field, it is a lifestyle. A lifestyle that teaches you skills that you can apply to the real world when your time is up there. You won’t know it now or even going into it but when you do go to school to play ball, you won’t be going for the baseball, you will be going for the lasting memories you will have with some of your best friends that you will ever have. Make sure you process all this before you make a decision. Also, have fun! It’s the sport you love the most and you get to play it after high school. Not many players get to do that.  So, do not take it for granted!

Sincerely,

2018 Graduate Senior Myles